北京十三陵英语导游词
heMingTombsare40kilometersnorthofBeijingCityonthesouthernslopesofTianshouMountain.Theyaretheburialgroundsof13MingDynastyemperors.InJuly2019thesitewasdesignatedaworldculturalheritagesitebyUNESCO.
EmpressXudiedinthe5thyearofYongle(1407).ZhuDisent
ZhaoHong,secretaryoftheMinistryofRitesandageomancer----LiaoJunqingalongwithmanyotherstoBeijinginsearchofanauspiciousplaceforthetombs.ItissaidthatthisgroupofpeoplefirstselectedtheareaofTuJiaYing,whichmeansslaughter-house,andassuch,itcouldn'tbeusedastheburialground.NexttheyselectedthefootofYangshanMountain,Changping.However,sincethesurnameoftheemperor(Zhu)isahomophoneforpigandbecauseavillagenamed'wolfmouthravine'waslocatedthere,theydecidedagainstusingthatarea.Later,theyfoundYan-jiataiwestofBeijing.Again,since'Yanjia'wasthehomonymofthedeathoftheemperor,itwasalsodeemedunsuitable.Itwasnotuntilthe7thyearofYongle(1409),thattheyfinallychosethepresentHeavenlyLongevityMountainastheircemeterygrounds.
Thewholeareacovers40squarekilometers.Ithasmountainstoitseast,westandnorth,andDragonMountainandTigerMountainareoneithersideofitssouthernentrance.The13tombsgofromnorthtosouth.TheyarearrangedinthemanneroftheImperialPalace,withtheadministrationareainthefrontandlivingquartersintherear.Infrontofthetombsaredivinepasses,stonearchwaysandsteeltowers.ThePreciousCityandMingTowerstandovertheUndergroundPalace.
Therewere16emperorsduringtheMingDynasty.BuriedintheMingtombs,are13Mingemperorsand23empresses,aswellasmanyconcubines,princes,princessesandmaids.Theother3emperors,EmperorZhuYuanzhang,ZhuYunwenandZhuQiyuareburiedinotherlocations.
ThefounderoftheMingDynasty,ZhuYuanzhang,establishedhiscapitalinpresentdayNanjingwherehewasburiedafterhisdeath.HistombiscalledXiaoling(TombofFilialPiety).
ThebodyofthesecondemperoroftheMing,ZhuYunwen,ismissing.Somesaidthathediedinafire,whileotherssaidthathewenttoatempleandbecameamonk.Thereisnofinalconclusionyet.
TheseventhMingEmperorZhuQiyu,wasburiedasaprincebyhiselderbrotherZhuQizhenatJinshankou,awesternsuburbofBeijing,becauseintheTumubaoUpheaval,EmperorZhuQizhenbecameacaptiveandtheyoungerbrotherofZhuQizhen.ZhuQiyuwaschosenasthenewemperor,butlaterZhuQizhenwasbackandproclaimedhisre-enthronementintheSeizingGateUpheaval.
TheMemorialArchwasbuiltinthe19thyearofJiajing(1540)asasymboloftheMingTombs.Itis14metershighand28.86meterswide,andhas5archessupportedby6pillarswithbeautifulbas-reliefcarvingsoflions,dragonsandlotusflowers.TheMemorialArchisthebiggestandthemostexquisitestonearchpreservedinthecountrytoday.Themajordesignsofdragonandclouddecorationsreflectthecharacterofimperialarchitecture.Inaddition,italsodemonstratestheskillfulartistryoftheMingcraftsmen.
TheBigPalaceGateisthefrontgateoftheMingTombs,andismorecommonlyknownasBigRedGate.Facingsouth,therearethreearchentrancestothegate,themaininlettotheMingTombs.Flankingthegatearetwostonetablets,inscribedwithordersfortheemperor,officialsandotherpeopletodismount,beforeenteringintothetombarea.Iftheydidnotobey,theywouldbepunishedfortheirdisrespect.TherulesgoverningtheMingTombsintheMingDynasty,stipulatethatonewhosneaksintothetombareatopickfirewoodandbreaktwigswouldbeflogged.Thosewhocametofetchdirtandstonewouldbebeheaded.Thosewhoenteredarbitrarilyintothetombareawouldbefloggedahundredtimes.
TheTabletHousewasbuiltinthe10thyearofXuande(1435),andstandsabout10metershighwithtwotiersofeaves.AhugetabletstandsinthemiddleoftheTabletHouse.ThefrontsidebearsaninscriptionbyEmperorRenzongforChengzu.ThereversesideisapoembyQingEmperorQianlongrecordingindetailtheconditionsofthebrokenChangling,Yongling,DinglingandXiling.OntheeastsideistherecordofexpendituresforrepairingtheMingTombsbytheQinggovernment.OnthewestsideisanepitaphbyQingEmperorJiaqing.Itwaswritteninthe9thyearofJiaqing(1804)describingthecauseofthefalloftheMingDynasty.
OnthenorthsideoftheTabletHouse,standsagroupofstonecarvings(36inall).Behindthehouse,therearetwostonepillars.Beyondthepillarsarestoneanimalsandotherstatues.Lions,XieZhi,camels,elephants,andQiLinhorses.Alloftheanimalsareintwopairs.Twostand,whiletheothertwokneel.Itisfollowedbythestatuesofmilitaryofficers,civilofficialsandofficialsofmerit,fourineachgroup.Thesestoneanimalsandstatuesweremadeinthe10thyearofXuande(1435).Theyreflecttheimperialpowerwhenhewasaliveandtheimperialdignityafterhewasdeceased.Theanimalsandstatueswerecreatedusingwholeblocksofstoneweighingacoupleoftonsandeachwasdelicatelyandmasterfullycarved.
HerestandsLingXingGate,alsoknownastheuniqueDragonandPhoenixGate,withthemeaningoftheGateofHeaven.Thegateispiercedwithsixdoorleaves,attachedtothreearchways.Thetopofthecentralsectionofthethreearchwaysisdecoratedwithflamesandpreciouspearl,soitisalsoknownastheFlameArchway.TothenorthoftheDragonandPhoenixGatetherelaysaseven-archmarblebridge,leadingtothegateofChangling.Totheeastoftheseven-archbridgestandsanoldfive-archbridge,whichwastheoriginalsiteoftheseven-archbridge.
ActuallywearestandingontheaxlelineoftheMingTombs,otherwiseknownastheSacredWayortheTombpath.WepassedtheMemorialArch,theBigPalaceGate,theTabletHouse,SacredWay,stoneanimalsandstatues,andLingXingGate.Thisseven-kilometerlongsacredpathwayleadsfromsouthtonorth,allthewaytotheGateofChangling.
Now,wearemovingtoChangLing.ChanglingisthefirsttombbuiltintheMingTombsarea,covering10hectaresandcontainingEmperorZhuDiandhisempressXu.
ZhuDi(Chengzu)oftheMingDynastywasthefourthsonofthefirstEmperorZhuYuanzhang,bornin1360.ZhuDiwasconferredthetitleoftheprinceofYaninthe3rdyearofHongwu(1370).HewasappointedatBeiping.AfterthedeathofZhuYuanzhang(thefirstMingEmperor),ZhuDiusedthepretextofeliminatingevilofficialsatthesideofEmperorJianwentoleadanarmyexpeditiondownsouthtoNanjing.Heseizedthethroneinthe4thyearofJianwen(1402)andascendedthethroneinJuneinsidetheHallofAncestralWorshipinNanjing.ZhuDiwasanemperorofoutstandingaccomplishmentintheMingDynasty.AssoonashebecametheprinceofYan,heledthegeneralsouttobattle.Hehadgreatachievementsincalmingdownthenorth.Afterhetookoverhisnephew'spowerandbecametheemperor,hestillwentouttobattlethroughoutthecountryandconsolidatedtheruleoftheMingDynasty.HemadetheimportantdecisiontomovethecapitaltoBeijing.DuringtheruleofZhuDi,magnificentdevelopmentsweremadeintheeconomy,cultureandindiplomacy.Intermsofculture,ZhuDisuccessivelysentGrandAcademicianXieJin,YanGuangxiaoandotherstocompiletheYongleencyclopedia.ThebookhasbecomethelargestbookevercompliedinChinesehistory.Forexpandingexternalexchangesandtrade,ZhuDiselectedeunuchZhengHetoleadalargefleetfilledwithpreciousgold,silver,silkandsatinstosailtosoutheastAsiaandAfricaseventimesintheearlyyearsofYongle.
EmpressXuwasburiedtogetherwithEmperorZhuDiinChangling.EmpressXushiwastheeldestdaughterofXuDawhowasoneofthefoundingfathersoftheMingDynasty.Throughoutherlifespan,XuShicomplied20articlesofinternallecturesandabookadvisingtobegood,soastocultivatepeople'sminds.ShewastheveryfirstonetobeburiedinChanglingandintheMingTombarea.
TheHallofEminentFavorinChanglingisthebestpreservedamongthethirteentombs.ItisavaluablerelicofancientChina'swoodenstructures.Itisnineroomswideandfiveroomslong,ahallsizerarelyseeninChina.Theroofismadeoftop-classdoubleeavesandtherearemultipleroomscoveredwithyellowglazedtiles.Thehallissupportedby60thickNanmupillars,themiddlefourinthehallarethethickest,thediameterofeachonecanreachoveronemeter.ItisknownasthebestNanmu(phoebe)hallinthecountry.
NowwearegoingtoDinging.DinglingislocatedattheeastfootofDayuMountain.Buriedherearethe13thMingEmperorWanli(ZhuYijun)andhistwoempressesXiaoduanandXiaojing.ZhuYijunwasthelongestonthethroneoftheMingEmperors.(Hewasemperorfor48years).HewasthegreediestandlaziestemperorintheMingDynasty.ZhuYijunascendedthethroneattheageof9.Afterhecametopower,hewassupportedbythechiefministerZhangJuzheng.Atthistime,variousaspectsofsocietygaineddevelopment.
Later,ZhangJuzhengdiedofillness.NotlongafterWanlimanagedstateaffairsonhisown,heusedthechancetoselectthelocationforhistombsitewhenhewenttopayhomagetotheancestors'tombs.Hespenteightmilliontaelsofsilver(250,000kilosofsilver)andsixyearstobuildahighqualitytombDingling.AftertheDinglingwascompleted,ZhuYijunpersonallywenttoinspectit,andfeltverysatisfiedwiththeresult.HewentsofarastoholdagrandbanquetintheUndergroundPalace,whichwasunheardofinhistory.
ZhuYijunwasatypicalmuddle-headedemperor.Reflectingonhisreign,hedidnotpayattentiontostateaffairsfor28outofhis48yearrule.Thestateorganwaseffectivelysemi-paralyzedduringhisreign.LatergenerationscommentedthatthefalloftheMingdynastywascausedbythisemperor.
ZhuYijunhadtwoempresses.EmpressXiaojingwasoriginallyamaidofWanli'smotherCisheng.Latershegavebirthtoasonoftheemperor.Thatsonwastheone-monthemperorGuangzong(ZhuChangluo).Shediedofillness9yearsearlierthanShenzongdied.ShewasburiedasaconcubineatPinggangdi,aroundtheeastpit,attheHeavenlyLongevityMount.AfterXiaojingwasconferredthetitleof“grandmotheroftheemperor”,herbodywasmovedtotheUndergroundPalaceofDingling,andburiedtogetherwithEmperorWanliandEmpressXiaoduanonthesameday.Xiaoduanwasconferredthetitleofempress,butshecouldnotgivebirthtoeitherasonoradaughtertotheemperor.Xiaoduandiedofillness.Ahundreddayslater,EmperorWanli(ZhuYijun)diedtoo.EmpressXiaoduan,EmperorWanli,andEmpressXiaojingwereburiedtogetherintheUndergroundPalace.
ThetabletinfrontofDinglinghasnowordsonit.Itiscalledthewordlesstablet.Thereisapairofcoilingdragonsalongthetopandapatternofseawavescarvedonthebottom.Itsbaseiscomposedofatortoise(Bixi).Itissaidthatthedragonhasninesons.IntwelveoftheMingTombs,excludingChangling,allthetabletsarewordless.OriginallytherewerenotablethousesinfrontoftheTombs,butlaterthetablethousesandsteelesofthefirstsixtombswerecompleted.ButtheemperorJiajingatthetimeindulgedindrinking,lustandsearchingforlongevitypills,sohehadnotimetopayattentionontheinscriptions.Consequentlythesixtabletsarewordless.Andinkeepingwiththistradition,that’swhythetabletslateronarealsoblank.
NowwearearrivingatTheGateofEminentFavorandtheHallofEminentFavorofDingling,TheHallofEminentFavorisalsocalledHallofEnjoyment.Itwastheplacewheretheemperorandhisentourageheldgrandsacrificialrites.TheyweremostlydestroyedwhentheQingsoldierscame.Andtheyweredestroyedagainlater,sonowonlytheruinsremain.
Movingon,thisistheexhibitionroomsthatwerebuiltaftertheexcavationoftheUndergroundPalace.Theexhibitionexplainsindetailthehistoryofthetombmasterandintroducesthetombexcavationprocess.Theexhibitionroomsaredividedintotwoparts,thesouthandthenorth.Inthesouthroom,ondisplayarethesacrificialobjectsofEmperorWanliunearthedfromtheUndergroundPalace.Inthenorthroom,ondisplayarethesacrificialitemsofthetwoempresses.Allofthenarefancyandinvaluable.
NowwearriveatTheSoulTower,thisisthesymbolofthetomb.Itisastonestructurewithcolorfulpainteddecorations.TheSoulTowerandthePreciouscitadelofDinglinghaveneverbeendamagedseriously.TheSoulToweristhebestpreservedarchitectureabovethegroundofDingling.Ontopoftheyellow,glazedtiledroofoftheSoulTowersitsabigstonetablet.TwoChinesecharacters----Dingling,arecarvedonthetablet.InsidetheSoulTower,ontopofanotherstonetablet,therearetwobigcharacters----'theGreatMing'writteninsealcharacters.Onthebodyofthetablet,sevenChinesecharacters-----'TombofEmperorShenzongXian'arecarved.TheSoulTowerisconnectedwiththePreciousCitadel.ThePreciousCitadelisalargeroundwallbuiltwithbricks.ThePreciousCitadelwallis7.5mhigh,andlowerpartisthickwhiletheupperpartisthin.Theroundwall'sperimeterisover800meters,andinsidethewallisalargeartificialmound,theemperor'stombmound,knownasPreciousTop.
DinglingistheonlyMingTombtobeexcavated.FormalexcavationworkstartedinMay1956andendedin1958.First,theworkingpersonneldiscoveredanexposedgatewayatthesidewalltothesouthwestofthePreciousCitadelofDingling.Sotheydugthefirsttunnelfacingthepositionofthegateway.Atthebottomofthetunnel,theydiscoveredatunnelmadeofbricks.Threemonthslater,alongthedirectionofthetunnel,tothewestoftheSoulTower,theydugthesecondtunnel.Duringthedigging,theyencounteredwithastonetabletwhichinscribedthewords'fromhere48.8mforwardand10.7mdownwardliesthepreciouswall'.ThereforeitgavethecorrectdirectionofopeninguptheUndergroundPalace.
Accordingtothedirectionofthestonetablet,afterdiggingthethirdtunnel,theyfoundastonetunnel.Atlasttheygottothepreciouswall.Thustheyopenedthepreciouswallwithasquarestoneroom.Tothewestendoftheroom,laytwomarbledoors.Theworkingpersonnelusedawireandwoodplanktoremovethe'self-acting'stonebar,whichwasagainstthebackofthedoor.Withthismethod,theyopenedtheentranceoftheUndergroundPalace.
ThepalacehasnobeamwhichwasbuiltaccordingtotheprinciplesofgeomancyAltogethertherearefivechambers.Thechambersareseparatedbysevenmarbledoors.TheUndergroundPalaceis27metersdeep,coveringanareaof1,195squaremeters.Thereisasamestructurestonedoorinbetweenthefront,middleandrearchambers.Thedoorismadeofmarble.Thebiggestmarbledooris3.3metershigh,1.7meterswide,4tonsinweight.Itlooksheavy,butitisreasonablydesigned.Thepivotofthestonedoorisinclinedtothedooraxle,sothedooriseasytoopenandclose.Ontopofthedoorisalintel(madeofbronze)tubeweighingabout10tonstopreventthedoorfromfalling.Carvedonthefrontofthemarbledoorare9rowsof81knobsandstrangeanimalswithringsintheirmouths.Locatedonthereverseside,oppositetheanimals,isaprotrudingsectionthatholdsthedoor's'self-acting'stonebar.
Thefrontandmiddlechambersare7.2metershighand6meterswide.Theflooriscoveredwithgoldbricks.Accordingtorecords,thegoldbricksaresmoothanddurable.Themoreyoupolishthem,thebrightertheybecome.Therearenodecorationsinthefrontandtwoannexchambers.Inthemiddlechamber,therearethreemarblethronesforEmperorWanliandhistwoEmpresses,knownasthepreciousthrones.Inthefrontofthethrones,therearefiveyellowglazedofferingsandoneblue-and-whiteporcelainjarofJiajingYear'sstylewithacloud-and-dragondesign.Itisabout0.7metersindiameter.Originallytherewassesameoilinthejar.Onthesurfaceoftheoilwasacoppertubewithawickinside.Itiscalledthe'everlastinglamp'.Duetothelackofoxygen,thelightwentoutsotheoilhadnotbeenusedall.
Therearchamberisthebiggestofthethree.Itis9.5metershigh,31meterslong,9.lmeterswide,thefloorispavedwithpolishedstones.Intherearchamber,thereisacoffinplatformedgedwithwhitemarble.PlacedontheplatformarethecoffinsofEmperorWanliandhistwoEmpressesaswellas26vermilionboxesfilledwithfuneralobjects.
Inthemiddleofthecoffinplatform,thereisarectangularholefilledwithsoilcalledGoldWell.Puttingjadestonearoundthecoffinorinsidethecoffinorinthemouthofthedeceasediscalledbeing'buriedwithjade.'AncientpeoplebelievedGoldWellwasthepitofgeomancy.Itcouldpreventthebodyfromdecayforalongtime.Being'buriedwithjade'onaGoldWellwasthehigheststandardofentombmentonecouldreceiveinthefeudalera.
Originallytheempress'scoffinshouldhavebeenplacedintherearchamber.Thenwhywerethecoffinsofthetwoempressesalsointhesamechamberastheemperor's?In1620,firstempressXiaoduandiedinApril,theninJulyEmperorWanlialsodied.Afterthat,thesonofZhuChangluodied29daysafterhissuccession.Inonlyafewmonths,twoemperorsandoneempresshaddiedinsuccession.InadditiontheyhadremovedEmpressXiaojing'scoffintoDingling.AlltheburdensofthefuneralburialsfellonthejustenthronedEmperorZhuYoujian.Thepreparationworkwasdoneinahurriedfashion(thiswasclearlyrecordedinhistoricaldocuments).Therainyseasonhadalreadyarrivedbeforethefuneralcouldoccurandthepassageleadingtotheempress'annexchambermaynothavebeenconvenienttoopen.Sothecoffinsoftheemperor,empressesallenteredtheUndergroundPalacethroughthefrontentrance.AfterthecoffinsenteredtheUndergroundPalace,sincethepassagetotheannexchamberswerenarrow,thecoffinsoftheempresseswouldnotfitthroughit.Sotheyhadtoputallthethreecoffinstogetherintotherearchamber.
Nowpleasefollowmeoutoftheundergroundpalace.Andourtourfortodayiscompleted.Ihopeyouhavefoundourtimetogetherinformativeandenjoyable.Wenowhavehalfanhourforarest,andthenwewillgettogetherhereat4:00pm.Thankyou.